Harbhajan Singh’s hat-trick against Australia 2001

Indian Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh snapped up the first ever Test hat-trick by an Indian bowler, on the opening day of the second Test against Australia at Kolkata in 2001. Harbhajan Singh’s feat marked a spectacular change in the then 20-year-old’s fortunes. After that Test series, where he took 32 wickets in 3 Test matches and still holds the record of most wickets by an Indian bowler in a 3 match Test series, became indispensable from Indian team for next decade. Harbhajan Singh before that series was called for throwing three years ago – and was out of Indian team during that time. He only made his comeback in the that epic series of Border-Gavaskar trophy 2001. Harbhajan’s hat-trick wickets were Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne. Ponting was out leg-before for six off 12 balls. Gilchrist was also given out leg-before, though replays showed he got a clear inside edge. Then Warne hit one to Sadagoppan Ramesh at backward short-leg. After Harbhajan’s first innings heroics, Australia were bowled out for 445 in their first innings. Harbhajan took seven wickets in total. India then were bowled out for 171 and were made to follow-on. The next what happened went down in to history of Indian cricket when VVS Laxman (281) and Rahul Dravid (180) helped India to 657 for seven dec. Harbhajan then took six wickets as Australia were bundled out for 212 and went onto win a remarkable Test match after being asked to follow-on. India won the Test match by 171 runs. An astonishing Indian recovery, in the second innings, provided several records and made India only the third team in the entire Test history to win a match after being asked to follow-on. Australia were the victims in the previous instances also, with both loses against arch enemy England at Sydney in 1894-95 and Leeds in 1981.

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